Common Parent Questions

This is where we talk about poop.

August 27, 2011

There’s not a whole lot that you can predict with babies. At least not with complete accuracy. At some point baby will crawl. At some point baby will smile. And at some point a first little white tooth will come blazing through. You just don’t know exactly when. So even though the timing of things are most certainly uncertain, there’s one thing on which you can rely: baby will poop. And we’re here to ready you for that very specific thing that babies do so often.

Just like you, gDiapers are ready for anything. So here’s the scoop on poop.

1. newborn poop

At first your baby will process this crazy sticky stuff called meconium. Get through this sticky stage by using the disposable insert inside newborn gPants (which are perfectly sized for brand new babies, and snap down away from the umbilical cord). Not only will the disposable inserts fare better with newborn messes, but as a newborn parent operating with one eye open at 3am, you can just flush the insert away and go back to bed. You’ll also have a better user experience with the disposable inserts inside the newborn gPants. They’re designed a bit different than the larger gPants. The pouch is actually stitched in to the fabric, which accommodates newborn bodies better. But because of this, the disposable inserts work better. The disposable inserts hold moisture at the core of the insert, whereas the cloth inserts hold the moisture in the bottom layers, which are pressed directly up against the stitching on the newborn gPant (which can lead to a damp feeling on the outside of the newborn gPant).

2. clean up, easy.

So disposable inserts, we’ve discussed this. If they’re poopy, flush them! (You can read about the how-to here). But what about with cloth? Use a cloth liner. A cloth liner is like a sturdy piece of toilet paper. It goes on top of the cloth insert. Wetness will pass right through, where it will be absorbed by the cloth fabrics. But any solid messes will be caught on top. Carry the whole shebang into the bathroom and the cloth liner (plus poopy mess!) will slide off into the toilet. Flush. Gone. Phew.

did you know? Poop should always go in the toilet. Even if you use a conventional disposable from time to time (it happens) the poop is supposed to be flushed. Because really, who wants little rolled up plastic poopy diapers dotting the landscape? Not these diaper therapists. And we’re pretty sure, not you, either.

3. stains.

In case you’re not yet entirely familiar with the anatomy of a gDiaper, let’s go over it briefly. It’s pretty straightforward. (We’ll get to why this has to do with stains in just a sec. Promise.)

gPants – the beautiful cotton diaper cover. This is the piece that makes moms and dads act like collectors at Antique Roadshow. gPants are soft, thoughtfully-designed and fun.

gPants pouch – this is a convenient part of the gPant. Convenient because it snaps in and out. So you can change just the pouch when necessary, and not the whole pant. (newborn gPants do not include pouches, as they are built-in)

photo by courtney barr fergusonThat’s it. Then of course you can decide for yourself whether you want to use a disposable insert or cloth insert (both tuck easily inside the pouch). Here’s why the gDiapers anatomy lesson was in order. We just need you to know that the pouch is going to get dirty. That is it’s job. The insert will catch the bulk of the mess, but the pouch is there to act as another barrier, keeping the messes off the highly-prized gPants, off blankets, off carseats and strollers and crib mattresses. And because of the pouch doing it’s job it is going to get stained. Poop stains. Bottom line. But there are ways to address those stains, the most popular being to lay them in the sun while they’re wet. The power of the sun is a highly effective stain treatment.

So. Poop. It’s a sign of a healthy and happy baby. And since we’re all about healthy and happy babies, we’ve kind of made poop our business. Let us know if you have any questions. Any time.

about the author Kelli Martinelli – Kelli has been with gDiapers since its infancy in 2006. She writes the gDiapers blog, email campaigns, web content, manages social media and customer service and supports PR. She occasionally takes a stab at her own blog It’s Me, Kelli, where she chronicles her waste reduction efforts and her stories as a single mama to two kiddos. Stay in touch on the gDiapers blog, google + and twitter.

Great suggestion! I still have lots of blog posts to write. In the interim, the best solution for tackling stains on the snap-in pouch is just sunshine. It’s a reusable diaper product, so the truth is they’re going to stain. But the sun is the best natural whitener there is, and it doesn’t compromise the water-resistance or breathability of the pouch fabric.

I too would like a suggestion on a product to use for cleaning the pouches. I JUST started using gDiapers 2 days ago and already the poop stained pouches are my biggest gripe and no matter how much I wash they seem to hold poop odors. SOS SEND HELP!!

Hands down the best way to remove stains from the cloth inserts AND the gPouches is to let them dry in the sun. Crazy but true… its pretty amazing how effective it is… no harsh chemicals and sunlight is free! Hopefully you live somewhere with abundant sun.